e-Newsletter of Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary | August 30, 2012

Documentary work earns students Emmy nominations

Emily Cohen '12 and Brittany Garzillo '13 work with Jonathan Gutierrez, '13 during the making of Three Students, Three Expressions of Art.

A recent Moravian College graduate and a current student were nominated last week for 2012 Emmy awards through the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Mid-Atlantic Chapter.

Emily Cohen ’12 and Brittany Garzillo ’13 were part of the inaugural semester of PBS39 College Production U, a 15-week session in which television professionals from PBS39 partnered with Moravian College to produce a documentary called Three Students, Three Expressions of Art.

“We are so pleased our students are being recognized for their outstanding work,” says Krista Steinke, chair and associate professor of art at Moravian College, who served as faculty coordinator. “The course at PBS39 offered students an ideal opportunity for hands-on learning experience at an award-winning television studio.

“The students learned the basic skills and techniques to produce a professional video piece, and they also learned how to conceptualize and idea, work together as a team, and produce a work that is broadcast on television. The benefits from this course go beyond the classroom, as the students can include this opportunity on their resumes and portfolios if they go into a related field,” she adds.

Cohen was executive producer, editor and director of photography on the project, and Garzillo was the writer, reporter and producer. They are nominated for a College Production Award for the documentary, which focused on Moravian’s art department and detailed how three exceptional students followed their passions for the arts and used art to express themselves and illustrate who they are.

The students from Production U who produced the documentary last spring.

Three Students, Three Expressions of Art was written, filmed, and edited by Cohen and Garzillo and their classmates, Rachael Hood '13, Shannon Smith, '13, Jonathan Gutierrez, '13 and Michael Clark, '12. Professionals from PBS39 taught and guided them throughout the process.

“This is such a competitive region,” said Tim Fallon, CEO of PBS39. “It’s thrilling for our team to be recognized among such talent.”

Lehigh University also took part in the course, which allowed students to learn about the inner workings of television production at the station’s Public Media and Education Center at Steel Stacks. At the end of the course, the two documentaries were broadcast several times on PBS39.

The 30th annual Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards will be presented Saturday, September, 22 at the Philadelphia Hilton. Moravian’s students will be competing against other, larger colleges and universities with dedicated communications departments. Moravian’s participation in Production U is an example of the College’s unique programming that provides hands-on learning experiences for students through diverse collaborative efforts.

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of NATAS represents more than 700 industry professionals working in regional television and is best known for organizing the annual Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards, which recognize excellence in news, programming and individual achievement in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.